Blythe Creek Church
Abstracted from article written by Olive Hester Brooks, 1947

        My memory goes bact to the old Blythe Creek church building that stood on a hill and served as both church and school. I remember Rube McDOWELL, Will CHILDRESS and Johnnie FRANKLIN being teachers in the school.
        My first memory of a pastor at Blythe Creek was Bro. N. Q. ADAMS, a Civil War soldier with only one arm.
        The old house was torn down and a new building was built a few yards away in a field, using the lumber from the old house.
        A new building for the church was built; but plans are for it to be torn down and another new, modern church building erected.
        It saddens me to know that this building will be torn down because the walls are sacred to me. My memory is filled with pictures of the people who gave their time and money to erect that old building.
        Some of the men who had a part in building this house are: Uncle John McCLAIN, Uncle Joe BROOKS, Mr. MILLAGIN, Uncle Wid FONDREN, Uncle Bud HESTER, Jim ARNOLD, Mr. Smith McCLAIN, T. A. HESTER (my father), Mahlon BROOKS (father of today's pastor). There are also others too numerous to mention who had a part in the construction of the house. These men were proud, but not boastful, in their accomplishments and gave God the credit for their abilities. The women were as tireless as the men in their efforts to help whenever and wherever they could.
        The pastor, Bro. N. Q. ADAMS, lived on and worked a farm near Sturgis. His salary was small, but he gave his entire salary that year to the building fund. He either rode his horse, or went by horse and buggy, to preach at his churches.
        I have fond memories of when Bro. ADAMS would spend Saturday nights in our house. When we children got sleepy, Bro. ADAMS would read from the Bible and then say a prayer, praying for us.
        We were carried to church by our Daddy and Mother. Whenever I entered the church, I felt that an eye was watching me and that I should be quiet, so quiet I was.
        The good people prayed and worshiped God with Bro. ADAMS. He read and preached the Gospel straight from the Bible.
        I remember when Rev. Earl Brooks came to the church. He would leave his pew and give his hand to the preacher and say "Pray for me". Then, came the day when he said that he wanted to unite with the church. During the remainder of the days of the meeting, he led in prayer services.
        I pray that as we take part in the new building that we remember God gave us whatever we put into the building fund. And, that the new church building will be as sacred to the children of the future as this building has been to us.

        Blythe Creek Church, located five miles south of Mathison, Choctaw Co, MS, was organized on the fourth Sunday of November, 1877 by Rev. J. B. LONG, A. J. FRANKLIN and L. SUTHERLAND. There was a total of twenty-seven members.
        Those members were: (men) Michael WEEKS, Robert GARVEN, J. R. McCLAIN, Oliver McVEY, a. H. BRELAND, Lorenzo Buford SEALY, George FONDREN, Willis FONDREN, H. PHILLIPS, John BUSBY, Malone MULLINS, Benton OSWALT, (women) E. R. WEEKS, Frances GARVEN, Matilda McCLAIN, M. A. McVEY, Emaline BRELAND, Delilah W. SEALY, Donie FONDREN, Mrs. H. PHILLIPS, Mrs. John BUSBY, Amanda MULLINS, and Ellen MULLINS.

*Mrs. Ellis is the granddaughter of Lorenzo Buford and Delilah W. SEALY, two of the charter members. Her parents were Victoria Ann SEALY HESTER and Tom HESTER, who was a deacon of Blythe Creek.
 

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